Laid Off? Learn from Lynn Yeager

Should you find yourself suddenly bereft of employment, don’t let it ruin your lunch, but do consider returning any recently purchased luxury goods, even the ones you scored on recession clearance. That’s our takeaway from Lynn Yaeger’s sad tale of being abruptly laid off from The Village Voice after three decades with the paper. On the day Yaeger received the news, she went out for lunch with Michael Musto, reports The New York Observer. She ordered carrot soup. “I was pretty stunned and upset, but we didn’t let it disrupt our lunch plans,” said Yaeger.

Once the reality of being one of the newly unemployed began to set in few days later, the first thing Ms. Yaeger did was return $3,500 in recent purchases, including a $1,000 Lanvin bag from Barneys, on sale from $2,500, and some jewelry.

Yaeger is now seeking new outlets for her fashion wit and wisdom (she’s already a frequent contributor to T: The New York Times Style Magazine, among other publications) and will be blogging for New York magazine during fashion week next month. As for that Lanvin bag, “I might re-buy it,” she said. “If my luck shifts.”